


Melissa's More Chill

by mademoisellePlume



Category: Animorphs - Katherine A. Applegate, Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz
Genre: Emotional Manipulation, Gen, SQUIP bullshit, Suicidal Thoughts, alcohol mentioned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-31
Updated: 2017-07-31
Packaged: 2018-12-09 11:35:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11668323
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mademoisellePlume/pseuds/mademoisellePlume
Summary: My name is Melissa Chapman. My parents don't love me anymore. My friends barely talk to me. My best friend is named Fluffer McKitty.But now I have someone helping me out. And if I listen to my SQUIP... everything just might be okay.





	Melissa's More Chill

I see her down the hall, at her locker. I can’t do this.

My SQUIP sighs in my head. ‘If you MUST, just repeat what I say. Take a deep breath and straighten your shirt. Rachel respects people if they look confident and put-together. Let’s give that a try.”

I fuss with my shirt, breath in deep and walk forwards with confidence. ‘Say her name. Smile a bit, don’t force it. Don’t try and sound friendly. Don’t whisper. Don’t shout.’

“Rachel.”

Her head perks up and she turns to me. Her eyes look me over, and she then scans the hallway behind me. “Melissa! Hey, what’s up?” She puts her bag on her shoulder, using the movement to let her turn her head to look behind herself.

‘She’s making sure your father isn’t anywhere nearby. She should really learn his schedule better.’

Before I can answer her, Rachel goes on, “I got to get home quick actually - Mom wants to do some stuff together.”

‘She thinks you’re going to invite her to do something and wants to avoid it.’ Well. Ouch. Thanks, Rachel. ‘Don’t be so pathetic. Don’t stop smiling. Give it to her. Repeat: No worries. Here.’

“No worries. Here.” I dig it out of my pocket and hold it out. Rachel carefully reaches out, and I drop it into her hand. It’s small and round and covered in strange glyphs and nobbly bits that I had been careful not to touch when I took it from my father’s home office.

Rachel looks at it. Then looks at me. Then back at it. When she looks at me again, she’s lost the wide eyes of shock and her eyebrows have drawn together.

“What’s this? You want to play softball?” She starts to smile at me. It’s not a good smile. ‘Rachel thinks you’re one of them and this is a trap. Tell her to put it away immediately before your father sees. Use his title, she’ll get confused by that and get a clue you’re not feeling close to him right now. Say it like she’s Fluffer trying to give you a dead mouse.’

“Rachel, put it in your bag before the vice principal sees.” Rachel froze and seemed taken aback by my tone.

‘Honestly. How is she this bad at being covert? I’m taken control of your arm, step forwards.’

I move as instructed. My hand grabs Rachel’s wrist of seemingly it’s own accord and pushes her hand gently into the backpack.

Oh, that’s so forceful. “I-look… Just-”

‘Take a breath. I’ll let go of the hand when she drops it. You’re stammering. Don’t look pathetic right now.’

I breath in. “Put it in your bag.”

“Melissa, why don’t you want your dad to see this?” She drops the device and the hand is my own again. I squeeze a little and let go, hoping that can reassure Rachel that I’m not her enemy.

‘Repeat: You know. I don’t want to get involved. He won’t miss it. Make sure you shrug while saying it. The casualness will impress her and keep her guessing.’

“You know.” I carefully shrug my shoulders. “I don’t want to get involved. He won’t miss it. Have fun.”

“...I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Rachel tries to insist. ‘Just leave. You’ve done what’s needed.’

“Bye Rachel.” I spin on my heel and leave.

Rachel doesn’t say anything.

 

* * *

 

“Rachel thought I was so weird!” I throw myself onto my bed and cover my eyes with one of my arms. “Ugh!”

My SQUIP sits next to me, it’s hallucinatory-hologram self looks like pictures of my mother when she was young. It runs fingers through my hair. Well. It feels like it. My hair doesn’t move or anything since no one is actually there.

It's just manipulating my nervous system to make it feel like it is.

It’s nice.

“You listened well, Melissa. She thought you were controlled or replaced by something like your parents are.” The SQUIP makes a face. It’s not super excited about the whole ‘alien invasion’ thing.

Neither am I.

“I didn’t want her to think that!” I wail. My cat curls up at my side and I pet it gently.

“Don’t be a foolish child. Did you want your father to catch you being emotional in the hall with stolen technology? Did you want him to see you handing it to _Rachel_?” The SQUIP’s tone isn’t exactly harsh, but it makes my stomach clench anyways.

“No.” I whisper.

“That’s right. We have to be careful with what we do and how we help. I’m not sharing your brain with anyone else.”

I laugh. That’s a joke probably.

“How that ragtag band of children are doing anything is beyond me, but. Well. We’ll use what’s available, and they haven’t gotten themselves killed yet.”

“Yet?” I squeak. The hand in my head stills.

“Melissa. Repeat after me.” Not this again.

“Everything about you is so terrible.” It’s a gentle, soft tone, and I obediently repeat, lowering my arm to look up at the face the SQUIP adopted.

“Everything about me is just terrible.”

My mother’s face smiles. “Good. Everything about you makes me wanna die.”

“Everything about me makes me want to die.”

It starts to pet my head again. “You got it. But Melissa, I’m here to help you. I’ll make everything about you better. You just have to obey. I’ll keep you alive. I’ll keep you free. And with the work we’re doing, passing things to Rachel… one day your parents might be free again. And maybe they’ll even love you.”

“Yeah.” My face breaks out into a smile. “Buying you was the best decision I ever made.”

“Of course it was. Your life was so pitiful before. Now we’ve figured out what’s happened with your parents. We have a plan. We will help your classmates and help fix what's happening.”

“You’ll make me better.

“Much better. You just have to obey.”

I nod and close my eyes. I’m so lucky.

 

* * *

 

It’s the middle of the night, and there’s two cats in my room. I’d left for a midnight bathroom trip, and I close the door behind me carefully. My SQUIP isn’t visible, but is snickering in my head.

‘Straighten your shoulders, just because you’re half asleep isn’t a good reason for bad posture. Repeat after me: This seems a little risky.’

“This seems a little risky.” I tell the two Fluffers, who are staring at each other, body language screaming that there’s about to be a fight. My shoulders go back into better posture.

<Why are you approaching schoolchildren with stolen technology?>

‘That might not be the cat. Look out the window.’ I lift my chin and look and see a hawk in the branches of the oak tree in our backyard. ‘Going through your memory records… the voice resembles that of one Tobias Fangor. You never spoke with him much, but you heard him mumbling in class. Say you’re sorry you never see him at school anymore.’

“Tobias? Haven’t seen you in class lately. That’s a shame.” Now I knew which Fluffer isn’t my McKitty, because the one on the right has looked at me with wide cat eyes, it’s fur standing on end. That still doesn't answer if that's Tobias, or if the hawk is.

<What are you talking about?> Tobias is trying not to sound startled in this weird mind-voice I’m hearing. Does this affect the SQUIP?

‘No. I just hear it, like you.’ Fluffer pounces on the other cat, and the fur flies, hissing and scratching. ‘Repeat: I told you I didn’t want to be involved. Then make them leave.’

“I told you that I wasn’t going to get involved. Go away. You’re upsetting Fluffer.”

‘Tell them your parents might hear.’

I know they won’t care enough to check, though.

‘They don’t trust your cat, Melissa. They’ll come. They stayed home tonight.’

“My parents didn’t go out tonight. They’ll come soon. Get out.”

The hawk takes flight without another word said to me. Fluffer chases the other cat out the window, hissing and yowling.

I close the window. Fluffer will come back in the morning.

“Melissa?” The door opens, and I look over my shoulder at my mom.

‘Yawn. Smile at her. Tell her you left the window open and another cat was passing by.’

I stretch my jaw in a yawn and then smile vaguely at my mom. ‘Blink your eyes, for god’s sake.’

Right. Don’t stare weirdly. Blink. “Fluffer got mad at another cat that was at the window. Did he wake you up?”

“Oh. Yes. Don’t leave the window open. We don’t need more vermin in this house.” Mom leaves. Doesn’t say goodnight.

“I love you.” I tell the closed door.

‘Don’t be pathetic, it’s not like that's really your mother can hear you or react to you. Get some sleep. You don’t want bags under your eyes.’

I obey.

* * *

 

‘Well. At least your parents aren’t around this time.’ The SQUIP sounds nonplussed, and when I flick my eyes to it, it’s face is blank, not bothering to present any kind of emotion for me.

I had been herded into the woods by Rachel, a hawk shadowing our steps in the sky. She hadn’t said why, and she hadn’t offered any reassurances. The SQUIP told me not to ask for any and just follow. Keep my face still. Don’t complain about bugs.

It was scary until we reach a meadow.

Then I’m just shocked.

‘Can you shut your mouth before you catch a fly on your tongue?’ The SQUIP chides, but it's circling the strange creature we’ve been confronted with.

<Melissa Chapman. How did you know of Rachel’s association with us?>

‘Going through your memory records… the voice is not one you’ve heard before. Repeat-’

The scream that has been building up in my chest since the bizarre blue mutant deer looked at me with four eyeballs finally get released. “Ew! Oh my god what IS THAT?! Rachel, what are you guys DOING?!”

<...You don’t know an Andalite when you see one?> The thing turns one long eye-tendril to Rachel, but keeps his main ones on mine. It has six limbs like a bug and a horrible evil looking tail. It's shaped sort of deer-like but it's so weird. It doesn't even have a mouth! <Why would you give something to Rachel without knowledge of us?>

‘Can you try and listen before you get yourself killed?’ The SQUIP is mad at me. I swallow hard. ‘You are not this stupid, as much as you insist on acting like it. Now. Repeat: I knew she was involved in something. I did not want to know more. Then narrow your eyes and repeat: For my own safety.’

“She was involved in something, but I didn’t know more.” Carefully, I glare at the strange blue thing. “For my own safety."

‘Repeat: I suppose that doesn’t matter?’

“I guess that doesn’t matter?” Rachel winces at that. I don’t let up on the glare.

<You weren’t surprised by the cat last night.>

“Or the hawk,” I add pointedly. It’s circling overhead - like I wouldn’t notice.

‘Good. There’s been a fly on Rachel’s shoulder the entire time she’s been with us. There’s a squirrel in that tree which isn’t doing much other than occasionally nibbling an acorn. There’s a cockroach on the same tree as the squirrel. It might just be a bug, but let’s watch and see if it flies or scurries off.’

Ew. A cockroach?

‘Needs must, I suppose.’

“Melissa? You need to tell us what you know.” That’s Rachel. “If you’re a… friend of Mr. Tidwell, we know about them.”

‘Rachel shouldn’t have said ‘we’ if they’re trying to convince us she’s a separate thing from the main force. Really though, what is this creature? What a vivid blue. Was it designed or did it evolve? I have to wonder at an evolutionary path that has both extra eyes and such an impressive weapon.’

That’s not helping me know what to say.

‘It’s not obvious? Oh, Melissa. Repeat: I need to? Why? And then ask what Tidwell’s got to do with it. Honestly, the fact that your father's not noticed one of the teachers is allied with his enemies speaks volumes.’

“Why do I need to?” I cross my arms. “I said I didn’t want to be involved. And I’m not a friend with a teacher.”

Rachel looks at the blue thing she’s way too comfortable around and they’re silent for a bit.

‘They’re talking to someone. Each other? Or they’re hearing instructions. More of this interesting telepathy. Perhaps the aliens controlling your parents compete with the blue specimen Rachel has brought us to?’ The SQUIP is talking like it did when it was figuring out something strange was behind the change in my parent’s behaviour - analyzing what it saw and coming to possible solutions.

It’s the same way it figured out that Rachel was the one who left a note in my locker that one time, and that she’s involved with the wild animal attacks. It connected the wild animals and the things calling themselves my parents fairly easily when it found the memory of the one time a ‘stray’ had gotten in my house.

“...Melissa. Can you tell me what you think you know about me?” I guess this is what Rachel is offering as a compromise. I huff in annoyance.

‘...Tell her the bones of my suspicions. We have little choice now, and we know the animal attacks do sometimes end in injury and worse. Better not to test the waters too much.’

‘Neither would your parents. At least, that’s what you’d like to think. Answer her.’

“You and some of the other kids at school are the animals behind the animal attacks. Something unnatural - I think aliens because the stuff I found in the office doesn’t look man-made - is taking control of people, or replacing them. And you’re fighting it.” I try to remember everything the SQUIP has been drilling into me about talking less awkwardly. I keep my shoulders straight. I blink my eyes deliberately.

“...Shit.” Rachel stares at me. “That’s… wow, you figured all that out? How?”

“I’m not DUMB, Rachel.” The SQUIP has told me over and over again how obvious they are, and Rachel thinks I can’t see it?! “Ugh!”

“I didn’t mean- I just. We can’t let people know, Melissa, that’s all, it’s… a lot.”

<Nope. I don’t buy it.> That voice is recognizable, and I don’t like the tone.

‘Insult him and make sure he knows you know who he is.’

I sneer. “Are you the cockroach, Marco?”

Its wings flutter for just a second. ‘No, focus on Rachel.’ I look back at her just as she’s lowering her eyebrows as she looks at me. ‘She’s overcompensating for lifting them in surprise. Ask what he doesn’t buy. Make a comment about buying something fashionable, to bring you back into your school context as a fashionable girl. Or at least a girl who tries to be fashionable, in any case.’

“What aren’t you buying, exactly?” My hands are on my hips, and the SQUIP nudges me into changing the exact angle they’re sitting at. "Other than a shirt that looks good on you."

<If we were that easy to figure out, we’d all be dead.> Marco said, his mental voice sounding harsher now. <Or worse.>

Worse than dead?

‘They’re fighting whatever’s happened to your parents, dear. This indicates they’ve adopted a ‘better dead than that’ attitude about it.’ The SQUIP points out, though that seems awfully sad. ‘Sad it may be, but we have to beware. If that’s how they’re handling their own lives, they probably will view their secret the same way and will kill to protect it. Point out that Rachel would never tolerate a fly on her for this long usually.’

“Well, Rachel hasn’t swatted the fly on her jacket, and you can’t tell me she hasn’t noticed it. Maybe I’m just smarter than you thought.”

<Nope. And am I the only one noticing some long pauses before she speaks sometimes?>

<You are not.> It’s the blue thing, and he’s stepping delicately towards me, his creepy scorpion tail lifting higher. I scramble away before the SQUIP can tell me to, though it does tell me off for backing off in such an ungainly way.

“It’s called thinking before you talk! And keep that thing away from me!”

‘Stop screeching, it’s not going to improve your situation. The squirrel has left. I believe it may return as one of the other children.’

“Ax, stay there. Melissa, we need to know where you’re getting your information.” Something’s changed in Rachel’s voice, and when I look at her, her mouth is set in a firm line.

‘She’s steeling herself. Either she’s going to do something nasty, or she’s thinking it may be necessary.’ The SQUIP was focused on Rachel. ‘There’s no hesitation in her eyes. They’ve had to do something to save themselves before. Ask what happens if you don’t.’

“And… what happens if I don’t?”

<We would rather you just tell us.> Marco’s voice is cool. Impersonal.

‘Tell them about me. I don’t trust them not to take action. Insist they all be there in their true forms.’

“Okay. I’ll tell you. But I want you all here in front of me, not as bugs and birds and things.”

“Marco will demorph. That’s it.” Rachel said flatly. Demorph? I guess that means 'be less of a cockroach.'

‘They think you don’t know who else would be involved. Ask about them.’

“And Jake and Cassie?”

Rachel’s face didn’t twitch, but the fly on her took off and vanished into the foliage. So did the cockroach.

Soon Jake, Cassie and Marco were coming through the trees, all in… exercise clothing? All looking unfriendly. Cassie was in the lead, so I guess she was the squirrel.

‘Don’t push about the bird and the blue thing. They’re keeping their distance, that’s good enough.’ The SQUIP paced back and forth and seemed to come to a decision. She gave me a blinding smile. ‘Let’s give them the sales pitch. It' summarizes the situation best and should help them see what good I've done for you. How we're working on improving you. Repeat after me.’

I brush my hair over my shoulder and smile at them, taking a deep breath before speaking.

“As I know you know, I was recently… well.” I tone down my smile. I’m aiming for rueful, and I think I get it. “Pretty hopeless. A mess, withdrawing from friends when they reached out to me. Not that many were! I was pretty pathetic. Helpless even, my parents didn’t even like me. I was stagnant. Had no idea what was going on. And then…”

As I spoke, repeating the lines the SQUIP gave me as it fed them to me, I watched them. Cassie looked concerned. Rachel… was keeping a straight face, but I could see a downturn of the corner of her mouth. The blue thing was totally, hah, alien, and the boys might as well have been statues. The bird looked stern, but I think that's just a hawk thing.

“I got a SQUIP.” I finish, cranking up the wattage on my smile.

“A script?” Marco tries to repeat, wrinkling his forehead.

<What is a SQUIP?> ‘Ax’ asks.

“I’ve never heard of that.” Jake says.

‘Funny. I thought his brother might have one. Perhaps his brother is like your parents.’

“Super Quantum Unit Intel Processor. SQUIP.” I supply. “It helps you to be cool, basically.”

“So it’s… a fancy computer?” Rachel asks, and I suppose it doesn’t answer the question, just telling them what SQUIP stands for. "How does that work to make you cool?

‘Back to the sales pitch. Repeat.’

“It’s a grey, oblong pill. A quantum nano-technology CPU. The quantum computer in the pill travels through your blood until it implants in your brain and tells you what to do.” I explain calmly, not deviating from the SQUIP’s lines by a single word.

They all stared at me.

“Did your parents give you this pill, Melissa?” Cassie seemed to be speaking for all of them, the rest of them exchanging glances.

I giggle, as the SQUIP told me to. “No, of course not. This is some top-secret technology. It’s from _Japan_.”

“From Japan? How did you get it?” Cassie pressed.

‘They...think you’re crazy. They’re standing with a blue centaur and they think you’re the crazy one.’

“A girl in my gymnastics class sold it to me, she has a hook-up.” Marco looks openly scornful, rolling his eyes, though Rachel just looks concerned. “It’s real. I was having a really hard time with everything. But the SQUIP... it helps you to act correctly. It’s pre-programmed and it appraises your behaviour and tells you how to alter yourself to get the goals you set. It helps you to be liked.”

‘Tilt your head thirty degrees to the side. Address Jake directly. They keep looking to him. The kid who couldn’t get on the _basketball team_ is their leader. Sad. Repeat after me.'

“You don’t have to believe me, Jake. But it’s amazing. It’s helping me. And it’s a super-computer. It observes what I observe and it can use incredible processing power to figure out what’s going on. Which it did. If you don’t want to believe me, you don’t have to.” Jake shifts his weight as he listens to me, his lips set in a neutral expression.

<Humans do not have quantum or nano technology. The Yeerk is trying to deceive us.> That’s the blue alien Ax again.

‘He doesn’t like humans having technology too advanced, does he?’ The SQUIP finds it amusing.

“Japan is pretty advanced compared to us in the US.” Marco muses, but he doesn’t sound even a little convinced. “But there’s no reason for them to be selling prototypes on the black market.”

“Beta testing of their early versions.” I answer promptly. “The SQUIP sends automatic updates on how it’s doing to them remotely. Are Yeerks the things pretending to be my parents?”

Cassie’s turn. “You can just tell us if you’re in the YPM. We’re allies.”

“Does… the Y stand for Yeerk? Because I’m still me. My SQUIP just helps me out.”

“How much of what you’re saying is Melissa, and not the SQUIP?” Rachel asks suddenly.

“I… I’m the one talking, Rachel.” What does she mean? “It’s not controlling me, mostly. I just-”

“Mostly?” Rachel interrupts, suddenly moving towards me. Jake catches her arm, holding her back, and she rounds on him, snarling. Her muscles seem to be… bulging? I didn’t even realize she had any. “She’s been acting weird this whole time, Jake! We left her to keep her safe!”

“Calm down.” He said sternly. Rachel makes a noise that doesn’t sound very human, and the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. She’s taller now too, and her body doesn’t look right. “Rachel! Now!”

That seems to work and the small changes seem to… melt away.

‘They’re not controlling animals, they’re definitely turning into them. As I thought, but fascinating to confirm.’

<Melissa. Yeerks are slug-like aliens that crawl into your ear and take over your brain. Are you sure this pill didn’t go in your ear?>

I look at the hawk - so that was Tobias. Good to know. “Of course. And ew, they’re slugs?”

‘That’s not helpful, Melissa. And stop wrinkling your nose, it’s unattractive. Point out that I need no recharging or updating like these ‘yeerks’ do.’ The SQUIP is standing in front of Jake, even though I’m focused on the bird I’m talking to. ‘I shouldn’t have included the part about implanting in your brain. They’re probably biased about that now.’

“I don’t have to update my SQUIP every three days. My SQUIP noticed that with the Yeerks.”

“Yeah. About that.” Marco drawls. “We have to make sure of that, I’m sure you and your squid understand.” I frown at him.

‘...Ah. I see. Well, there’s nothing to be done about it. They’ll be taking you hostage.’

“WHAT?!” I shout, then cover my mouth with my hands.

‘Melissa, I have been very clear about replying to me out loud. Surprise is no excuse.’

A conditioning shock makes me shriek and jump a little, to the general confusion of my apparent captors.

“...Melissa?” Cassie asks slowly.

“My SQUIP says you’re going to take me HOSTAGE?!” I’m outraged, and the SQUIP is still annoyed with me.

‘Your voice is still screeching. Calm down. Speak to them as if you're already dead. With luck, maybe you can avoid that becoming the case today.’

“We have no choice, Melissa.” Jake tells me, and I glare at him.

“My parents are going to NOTICE if I vanish!”

‘Get ahold of yourself and stop shouting. Breathe in and stand up straight. Lift your chin. Ask them what exactly they’re planning.’

I took a deep breath and consciously straighten my spine. “What exactly are you planning on doing with me?” I only remember to lift my chin after asking the question.

“That’s so creepy.” Marco mumbled.

“We’re just going to keep you in this small building we have further into the woods. If it’s okay with you, we’ll acquire you and pose as you to keep your parents from getting suspicious.” Cassie says, her voice steady and calming.

‘Acquire- I assume she means a way to take on your form. What would happen after?’

I repeat the question, and there’s a lull of silence that does nothing to help my nerves.

<If this is a Yeerk, we’ll find somewhere for you to be free and find a way to hide your escape. We’ll talk to Melissa about it when she’s free.> Tobias stares at me as he talks, his hawk eyes intense. It's kind of hard to remember that's a person when he's not talking.

“If this is some sort of computer bullshit in your brain, we’ll go from there. We have to determine if it’s trustworthy.” Marco takes over. “And if so, your squid better be smart enough not to try and send out any of this information to _anyone_.”

‘Mmm. I will refrain for the moment. Tell them that. Then ask them what happens if they don’t trust me.’

“The SQUIP will hold back its reports for now.” I promise them. I have to grip my hands into fists to ask the next question. “What are you going to do if you don’t trust the SQUIP?”

It’s Rachel who answers, voice blank of any emotion. “We’ll find a way to destroy it. One way or another.”

“But… it’s helping me.” Rachel doesn’t reply, but her lips press together tightly.

The SQUIP has me hold eye contact for a while. ‘I think Rachel’s the one they’ll expect to deal with you if it comes down to the worst. Look at how she's trying to be cold and clear about the consequences. She's trying to intimidate you - probably so you argue less and make it easier if it comes to that.’

Oh.

‘Look at Jake. Look at his mouth. That’s a guilty frown if ever I saw one. You’ll want to convince him to trust me, not Rachel. She’s just the weapon. Now. Repeat: How do you acquire me? Let’s get this started so we can talk about how useful the SQUIP can be for things like tactics and observation.’

“Well. Let’s get started. I’d like to talk more about how useful the SQUIP can be for things like tactics and observation. How do you 'acquire' me?”

“We have to touch you. Hold out a hand.” Cassie instructs, holding out her own to me.

Hesitantly, I lift my right hand and place it just above hers.

“This whole squid thing is messed up. She’s being fed lines to say and things to do. ” Marco’s arms are crossed and he doesn’t seem happy with any of this.

“My SQUIP says Rachel thinks she’s going to be asked to do something. My SQUIP thinks it’s Jake that will ask it. Are you saying that's messed up?” Marco starts and very carefully doesn’t look at either cousin. Cassie’s frowning deeply at them, and Rachel’s turning away from the group, looking at the tree with the hawk in it. I shrug. “I’m not trying to be rude, but I told you it helps with observation, didn’t I? It’s making me better. And it was the one that wanted to help you in the first place by taking that thing from my dad’s office.”

<Rachel is a valued warrior who does what’s needed, as do we all. Prince Jake is a fair leader.> Ax tells me stiffly.

“I didn’t say they weren’t.”

‘Repeat: you’re the only one speaking up, Andalite. Do you and Rachel take turns, keeping your team safe?’

“You’re the only one defending them though.” One of his weird horn-eyeballs is looking at Rachel.

<We are all good warriors.> Is all he’ll say.

“War turns us all into people we don’t want to be.” Cassie tells me softly and takes my hand in hers. I feel my tense muscles relax. “We don’t want to see you hurt. Rachel especially doesn’t. Let’s not chase trouble we don’t need to, okay?”

“...Okay.” I mumble.

‘Don’t mumble, Melissa.’ The SQUIP snaps.

“Sorry.” A noise of exasperation and I’m shocked out of the peaceful state. Oh, I’d answered out loud again.

Cassie’s rubbing her hand and staring at me. “...Melissa?”

“What? Oh. Static electricity, probably. Does anyone else need to acquire me?” I barrel forwards, hoping Cassie didn’t feel the conditioning shock the SQUIP administered.

<I will, since Cassie will have to attend school.> The blue thing walks forwards again and touches my hand. His skin is very soft, though the number of delicate fingers is creepy.

Peace steals over me again.

‘We need their trust if they’re to listen to me. You may tell them that alcohol will cause temporary problems in my operating system.’

“Oh. Um-”

‘Melissa, do not say ‘um’ it makes you look weak. You need to look capable and helpful to them. Start again.’

“My SQUIP says I should tell you that if you want to temporarily shut it off, I can drink alcohol. Getting drunk causes operating problems.” I shrug, it feels so weird to suggest getting drunk in a shed deep in the forest. Especially with everyone around me except for Rachel either being an alien, a bird or in weird biking outfits.

“We’re fourteen, we can’t buy alcohol.” Cassie says and Marco snorts.

“There’s so much wrong about that. I’ll handle it, Cassie.”

“Don’t steal it.” Jake tells him. “Just morph into your dad and take his ID. We don’t need Controllers wondering why the Andalites are stealing wine.”

“Jake, my dad has beer in the house, I’ll just take some of that. He’s been drinking less these days, but that just means he’s not paying attention to it and won’t miss it.” Marco shakes his head. “You’re all terrible teenagers.”

He turns to me. “We’ll test that out later. Now, please follow us to your temporary accommodations, madame.” Marco bows and gestures for me to go ahead of him down a deer trail that Rachel is already half up.

This is going to be a _great_ few days. Ugh. At least I have my SQUIP by my side.

‘We’ll have to help them.’ The SQUIP muses as I placidly go up the trail, followed by an alien and my dangerous classmates. ‘These pitiful children.’

**Author's Note:**

> Y'all I ran into the Be More Chill soundtrack and just could not get this out of my head. Poor, poor Melissa. She's far too easy of a target for this kind of emotional manipulation.


End file.
